Celtics Bounce Back

Philadelphia 76ers' Thaddeus Young (21) and Boston Celtics' Kevin Garnett (5) vie for a rebound in the first quarter of an NBA basketball game in Boston, Saturday, Dec. 8, 2012. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

Philadelphia 76ers' Thaddeus Young (21) and Boston Celtics' Kevin Garnett (5) vie for a rebound in the first quarter of an NBA basketball game in Boston, Saturday, Dec. 8, 2012. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

Boston — Kevin Garnett scored 19 points, Jeff Green added 16, and the Boston Celtics won the back end of a home-and-home with Philadelphia, beating the 76ers 92-79 last night.

Paul Pierce finished with 13 points and Rajon Rondo dished out 11 assists and collected nine rebounds, one night after his first triple-double of the season. Rondo had just seven points.

Thaddeus Young led Philadelphia with 22 points and Evan Turner scored 13. The 76ers have lost three of four.

Philadelphia won Friday when Turner hit the go-ahead basket in the lane with 3.9 seconds left in overtime and Rondo missed a game-ending shot after he slipped along the left baseline.

The Celtics led by 20 at halftime, but what looked like a rout quickly tightened late in the third quarter.

Boston led 65-44 before the 76ers scored 13 straight points over a 2:54 stretch. Turner had a pair of baskets and Jrue Holiday nailed a 3-pointer from the left wing, but the Celtics scored the final five points of the quarter and led 70-57 entering the final 12 minutes.

They pushed the lead back to 18 points midway into the fourth and coasted to the win.

Philadelphia coach Doug Collins said before the game that Celtics starters Garnett, Pierce and Jason Terry had played a large amount of minutes in their careers and there was no way his team should be more tired than Boston. Celtics coach Doc Rivers first agreed that “he’s right,” but later joked that he might tell his players.

It sure looked like he did and they took it personally.

Boston held the 76ers to a season-low 28 points in the first half, seemed to contest nearly every shot and held a 20-point lead at halftime. Philadelphia shot 23 percent (9 of 39) in the first half.

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Notes: The teams don’t meet again until their final matchup of the season, March 5 in Philadelphia. ... Referee Dick Bavetta, who worked the game and is a part of the storied rivalry, turns 73 tomorrow. He was the only referee working after his partner got hurt when Hall of Famers Larry Bird and Julius Erving got into a fight. ... Actor Mark Wahlberg was seated courtside and held up a Ted green sweat shirt. ... The 76ers’ 28 in the first half was the lowest Boston’s allowed in a half this season. ... Patriots safety Patrick Chung was also courtside. ...The 76ers had won the previous two meetings this season. ... Garnett didn’t collect a rebound in the game, playing 24 minutes.

Clippers 117, Suns 99

Los Angeles — Jamal Crawford led a fourth-quarter rally with 13 of his 21 points, and the Clippers beat Phoenix, winning their fifth in a row while sending the Suns to their season-worst sixth straight loss.

Blake Griffin added 24 points, and Chris Paul had 16 points and 11 assists. Crawford made all four of his free throws to extend his streak to 55 in a row since Nov. 3.

Spurs 132, Bobcats 102

Charlotte, n.c. — Danny Green scored 23 points and San Antonio set a franchise record with 19 3-pointers to hand the Bobcats their seventh straight defeat.

Green was 7 of 9 from 3-point range and the Spurs shot 56 percent from behind the arc.

Tony Parker had 22 points and nine assists as the Spurs won for the ninth time in 10 games to push their record to 17-4.

Pistons 104, Cavaliers 97

Cleveland — Brandon Knight scored a career-high 30 points and Detroit Pistons defeated Cleveland for the second time in six days.

The Pistons, who won for just the second time in 12 road games this season, took control with a run that began late in the third quarter and carried into the fourth period.

Chris Bosh scored 13, and Ray Allen and Shane Battier each added 11 for Miami, which took control by outscoring the Hornets 33-10 over the final 11 minutes of the first half. New Orleans started the game 10 for 12 from the floor, then shot 9 for 31 over the rest of the half.

Warriors 101, Wizards 97

Washington — David Lee had 24 points and 17 rebounds, Klay Thompson added 23 points and the Warriors beat Washington for their third straight road win.

Golden State is 13-7, the first time it’s been six games over .500 since the end of the 2007-08 season.

McHale Rejoins Rockets

Houston — Houston coach Kevin McHale rejoined the Rockets after almost a month away from the team, and two weeks after the death of his daughter.

McHale took a leave of absence on Nov. 10 to be with his family as his daughter’s health worsened. Twenty-three-year-old Alexandra “Sasha” McHale died Nov. 24 of complications from Lupus.

Houston went 7-6 under interim coach Kelvin Sampson while McHale was out.